I told her all the technical stuff on power and control but she kept doing that old bowlers hook kick during her delivery. The top rope is the "set 'em up pitch.". -I will drive a 16 penny nail into the dirt just behind the back tip of homeplate. Bend at the hips and knees to push off the mound like you would push off to. Q: How often should I practice these drills? Mark that spot. You dont need a catcher, a coach or even a softball park to practice your pitching. Teaching your pitcher to throw Off-Speed. 6 Proven Youth Softball Pitching Drills - Softball Spot She has to throw 100 to 150 pitches every night, PERIOD!! I have to remind my pitchers who are just now learning how to throw a rise ball, that the lower body mechanics for a rise ball should not be carried over to a fast ball. While you are doing this, notice what it does to your forearm. They dont just help get your body ready for the hard work of pitching, but also help create better throwing techniques. Watch the placement of the glove, the angle of it, and the angle of the wrist. To become a successful pitcher you must practice at least every other day. Staying "tall" | Discuss Fastpitch Softball Community Next are butterflies, then wrist curls isolating just the wrist. If the wrist on the glove hand is pointing to one side, chances are very good that they will be throwing to that side of the plate. The pain is almost always due to a mechanical flaw in their motion. With content ranging from Abby Wambachs workout to the latest gear reviews to Real Salt Lakes speed training, theres something here for soccer players of all levels. There is also much that can be used for analysing apitcher from those angles. The one with two balls throws a pitch to the other, the receiving player must throw a pitch to the first. They are walk-ins, meaning that they are thrown while walking into the pitch. Start by standing with your arms down and palms inwards. As I coach younger girls, I used 1 1/2 finishing nails and used every other seam (84 nails). Sports performance training is the physical and mental process of working toward specific athletic, performance or fitness goals through a regimented program. Next is stride. Do warm-up drills for softball pitching. Keep a steady tempo, doing 10-15 reps. Take a few moments to stretch your arms, shoulders, pecs and traps. Start with a triangle stance, with the weight slightly forward on the front foot. They help with timing, muscle control and add speed to a pitch. Bend at the waist and lift arms up to shoulder-height. This helps create more power and teaches you to adjust mechanics in any situation. This helps with accuracy, speed and power. Then drop both of your hands and pop your wrist and the ball should go right across the plate. Relaxed and loose fingers will create more spin. When the drill starts, the runner on third must make it to second base before the fielder can retrieve and throw all three balls to second base. You cannot deliver a quality pitch if you are tense.2. There are two ways to avoid doing this. The following speed drill also works for accuracy, while building arm strength. In this guide, well look at some warm-up drills for softball pitchers. You want the distance to be where the ball may or would be hit by the batter, about 1 foot in front of the plate. Finish up with 5 fastballs on the corners. Once your pitcher can do 3 sets of 10 reps, increase the weight and start with 1 set and work up. Hi, my name is Sophie and I love playing softball. When done correctly, each pitcher can throw 50 pitches in a very short time. I find that many young pitchers have their weight too far forward, even bending at the waist on delivery. This exercise will help improve stability, posture, and balance while pitching. We may occasionally review products that could generate commissions that enable the site to continue running. Then you will do the windmill motion. As Doug worded it to me when I first worked with him, think about most really good pitchers youve seen. "Stay Tall" | Discuss Fastpitch Softball Community The intent is for pitchers to transfer the importance of that direct step and balance when they pitch from the pitching rubber. Every coach needs new ideas to keep their players on their toes and practice interesting and fun. One thing that I believe helped me was one of those squeezer deals. Two myfavorites came to me from Doug Gillis, US National Mens team member. It will increase forearm strength also. Do not move the twinewhile sitting or kneeling. Repeat this drill in both directions. This is great for increasing flexibility for softball pitching delivery. Keep your arm out till the ball is released for extra power. Engage your abs by pulling your navel towards your spine and shoulder blades together. But if youre going to go inside on a big hitter, youve GOT to make sure you get that ball INSIDE and be careful not to hang the pitch over the plate. After warming up with 3 ball we go directly to the tempo drills. If so, stop and reset. Three-pump--standing in the start position, the pitcher does her . Softball Pitching Need some drills or suggestions for 12yo DD BradB41 May 13, 2012 Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web. This will enable you to field your position and protect you from line-drives back at you.3. Bending the elbow: Instead of bending the elbow, keep the arm relaxed and neutral this slows down your pitch, which is the exact opposite of what you want in fastpitch softball. The pitcher should fall back along the straight line of force. You freeze in power K position where most of the postural issues present themselves. In addition to off-season lacrosse workouts, youll find plenty of on-the-field drill for all lacrosse positions. Two myfavorites came to me from Doug Gillis, US National Mens team member. Place a runner and a fielder both on third base. If the pitch is not where you want it but is still a strike, dont worry. Take deep breaths and relax your muscles. Come all the way around with to your right hand. Throw some heavy balls or close rotation drills to perfect rotation of the ball for certain pitches. Register Log in 1 2 3 6 Next Mar 2, 2020 #1 T Texas McE Oct 11, 2019 38 8 Please help. Have the pitcher gently put on the brakes at the end of the wind-up so the ball only returns as far as the 60 percent mark. WORKOUT: (ALL PITCHES MUST BE THROWN USING THE NORMAL PITCHING ROUTINE). Then it might not be an issue. Drill correctly to boost arm strength, accuracy, power, and control. I have the pitchers throw over hand again to cool down once practice is done. Again, have her throw the same pitch several times and then review the tapewith her. Once you have become consistent at doing that, then work on throwing harder. Build your football workout today! It will take a while to get the accuracy down. As you progress, when you catch the ball it will have more force behind it and you will be able to tell when you are throwing harder and faster. The same body parts used in pitching are engaged when throwing a medicine ball: hips, chest, arms, and shoulders. Put your palms on the ground and bend your knees at 90 degrees. Now take out a handkerchief (or towel) and have the coach stand directly in front of the pitcher. To be a successful pitcher, you must take thatadvantage away form the batters. And chances are the majority of those practice pitches will be bad pitches. In most cases, the pitchers are merely sliding their hand under the ball to give the proper rotation for the riseball, however, if you want a riseball that RIPS, try this. First arm curls. You are using an out of date browser. Draw it all the way across the strike zone box you chalked out. This emphasises the full arm extension. As a coach, it is your responsibility to find that flaw and eliminate it. Now you only swing at it on the third. Softball Pitching Drills JOE'S LONG TOSS The following speed drill also works for accuracy, while building arm strength. As far as in and out all you can do is try different release points, the more a pitcher throws the more comfortable and accurate she will become. What is the Supplement Inositol and What are its Benefits? Here are some cool down drills to use post-pitching session. Rock back into each foot until you feel level. Need some drills or suggestions for 12yo DD | Discuss Fastpitch They help the body to stay balanced when throwing a pitch. Cooling down drills decrease soreness, fatigue and boost flexibility. Now wehave established the 40 per cent mark. Tip #3Training during your noncompetitive season?Pam Newton, ASA Junior Olympic Coach. Arm position should focus on reducing distance from glove to target. This exercise will help improve stability, posture, and balance while pitching. I have a few striped balls in my pitching bag for use when teaching the roll drop and the riseball. Now have the pitcherreturn to the 100 percent mark and throw from there. It is done with both feet together. Never stare at the line, always watch theball during a pitch. Divide that distance into three equal parts and draw a line at what would be the 60 percent and 80 percent distances. Throw from there. These drills help players of all ages and abilities. Coaching Young Pitchers in Softball - Keep It Simple The drills should be done with some purpose. After it flies it's all for style points. Starting at one cone, sprint to the next, field an imaginary ground ball, then shuffle to the third cone before returning to the starting position. List Of Softball Drills - rookieroad.com Repeat this activity, but each time, the coach moves a distance farther from the pitcher. For even more softball training, check out softball video library. Home Softball Drills Softball Pitching Drills 3 Softball Pitching Drills for Accuracy! The results have been remarkable!! Pitching from the stretch is an essential skill for all pitchers. Work on stepping at or beyond this mark with your stride leg. Now, extend and contract the arms in circular motions like slicing a pizza! Run and Drag Begin as if you were on the mound with your feet staggered and your throwing arm foot slightly in front. Again take three to four more giant steps back, mark your line, and throw from there. I was having a hard time breaking a bad habit of HOOK sliding the trailing foot on my 10 year old pitcher (who happens to be my daughter). In addition to following a healthy diet, athletes must pay particular attention to gaining muscle and losing fat, which together improve athletic performance. There is no drill. Arms up to chest level. Keep both toes and your navel toward the target and drag your shoe laces toward the target. Softball Pitching Drills: 3/4 drill - Amanda Scarborough Pitch a ball that crosses over the plate. If it crosses the plate, move back 5 feet and toss another one. Practice slowly to embed the mechanics into muscle memory. Take a piece of chalk and draw a strike zone box on the wall. Having a thin and bright colored power line behind the pitcher will give youan exact reference point and you will see exactly where the stride footcomes down in relationship to the power line and any inconsistencies withthe feet. For extra power, add bridges, planks, or sit ups. I find that combining the short and long distances works on two things at the same timearm stength (speed) and accuracy. To check a pitcher on the power line most folks will take their shoe anddraw a fat line in the dirt right in front of the rubber. Softball Pitching Power Drills - Softball Spot The first mistake is pivoting on your drive/drag leg, which limits the amount of power that can be transferred from your lower body into your pitches. If any other rotation is being imparted to the ball, the ball will not drop. Slide your back down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Arm swings are also effective for cool down. WEIGHT TRAININGI feel that every pitcher has to do some sort of weight training to increase her speed. This can be done anywherein a car, bus, rain, snow, summer, winter, etc. When you watch a pitcher, a lot of times all you do is hear the slap of the glove on the thigh and think that the glove is used only as a way to make some noise, in order to perhaps distract the batter, or time the release of the ball. Partner drills can also help. Arm circles Arm circles are []. I strongly suggest consulting a doctor before installing a weight program for your pitchers. Rotate through the pitch delivery. You know, you squeeze them with your hand to increase your grip. Many coaches and players overlook the importance the glove hand plays in the ability to control the ball when pitching. Once we have maxed out the comfortable accurate distance for the drill, I have them move to the rubber, and throw 20-50 hard pitches. Use them in your next practice and then come back and share your results! Extend your glove side leg while dragging the toe of your throwing side leg. Keep these mistakes in mind so you can avoid . This will give the runner the next base. Softball Skills and Training Softball Pitching Staying "tall" Stxdad Nov 9, 2020 Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web. RELATED:Fastpitch Softball Pitching Tips for Beginners. Do 5-10 reps each way: forwards, backwards and side-to-side. Many pitchers will throw a certain pitch for an off-speed pitch and that is all. HAVE FUN! Therefore, performing effective pitching drills will lead to more versatile, efficient, and speedy hurls needed to deliver an all-around powerful performance. Now measure the distance between the 40 percent mark and the 100 percent mark. Log in Find My Team. When youre balanced, move to an overhead position. !, but focus on the job at hand. That same fast ball can be thrown at say, 55, 45 and 40mph. Now we have established the 100 percent mark. No shifting forward or backward. Measure off the same distance you use at your level of play, from the pitchers rubber to home plate, then subtract 2 feet. This is the position your body is in when you have taken your stride toward the plate, your glove hand is pointing toward the target and your ball hand is at its highest point. The aim is to throw with power, accuracy and consistency, while keeping good control and balance. This is the best way I have ever found to train a pitcher to throw one pitch at different speeds (an off-speed pitch). Finally we move to the regulation distance and throw 10 to 15 pitches at full speed. Softball Skills and Training Softball Pitching "Stay Tall" Texas McE Mar 2, 2020 Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web. Keep your arm relaxed and far from your body. When one pitch is a different rate of speed then the last pitch and there are seldom two pitches in a row the same speed the batters have greater difficulty deciding when to swing. Stand with feet apart and arms at 90-degrees. As far as drills for a curve the most useful is having the pitcher throw from the slingshot position. Tell the pitcher to do the pitching motion again, but this time to hit the handkerchief with their pitching hand. Members online 6 Guests online 124 Total . TAKE AIM WITH YOUR GLOVEMany coaches and players overlook the importance the glove hand plays in the ability to control the ball when pitching. Its important to get the balance between weight transfer and arm speed right. At first, do not be concerned with accuracy. Again, dont trade accuracy for speed. 1. The pain is almost always due to a mechanical flaw in their motion. Balance drills may seem difficult at first. This drill helps improve infielder footwork and agility. The harder you throw, the closer the ball will return to you without hitting the ground. Then do the drill two more times with moderate intensity. After this motion, both hands come forward with the glove hand pointing directly at the target as the stride is taken. Do this on both sides until you feel limber. And that is OK; by hitting bad pitches in practice you slowly figure out that hitting short pitches allows you to drive the ball back through the middle, that in addition to hitting outside deep pitches to right field you can use an inside-out swing to hit inside short pitches down that line as well, or that flat pitches are easy to hit into the corner down the left field line. Whether you want to become a stronger skater, develop your stick-handling skills, buy better gear or eat healthier, youll find everything you need at STACK.com. Note that for this drill, it might be too advanced for some 8U players. These pitches are not thrown from the pitching stance. Enough said here!! Have the pitcher throw at the top half of the zone at 100 percent full speed. Make sure your body is straight from head to feet and back is not arched or sagging. SQUEEZERI have been pitching mens fastpitch now for almost 20 years. Warm-ups are a must for any pitcher! This is OK and itwill help the pitcher, however, it seldom gives the person catching a goodpoint of reference to see EXACTLY where the foot comes down. It will not allow the foot to improperly twist before push off. You are around 40 feet or so away and, lets face it, you have a ballcoming at your nose at 45 to 60mph. PITCHING GADGETSThese drills were taken from an article written by Duffy ONeill, Pitching Coach of the Ohio Emeralds, One of my favourite gadgets is one I call the changeup glove. In reality it is an old bowling glove which locks the pitchers wrist so that she cannot snap it. When the pitcher throws at that height over the plate, the umpire should call that pitch a strike. This motion does a couple of different things. Courtney's 30 Day Challenge: Softball Pitcher Drills | STACK Put your palms on the ground and bend your knees at 90 degrees. 3 Killer Softball Pitching Drills for Accuracy! SEQUENCING THE RISEBALL MOTIONHere is a teaching aid I have had great results with recently for the riseball. Step back slightly with one foot. When done correctly, each pitcher can throw 50 pitches in a very short time. What I found by this, is that when they do actually pitch, they do not drop their shoulders and make that swooping motion. Core strength is key for pitching performance. Follow-through drills will help! When one of my pitchers is having a tough time getting her riseball to move, I have her go through her pitching motion in super slow motion. The Drill: The best drill (in my opinion) that can help with posture is the first stage of the "reach, track, fire" drills. 2023 Softball-Spot.com. Lets take the fast ball, the pitch you throw with your fast ball grip. She has to throw 100 to 150 pitches every night, PERIOD!! Most have their weight back and, when throwing a rise, almost falling or stepping back. I went back and viewed old game tapes, Michele Smith, Susie Parra and other instructional tapes. Pitch a ball that crosses over the plate. One player has one ball, the other player has 2 balls. Register Log in 1 2 3 Next May 13, 2012 #1 B BradB41 May 31, 2011 129 16 My DD made some dramatic progress this past off season. Put a pile of single sheet newspapers in an area you would normally walk by the most times during the day. Draw a line on the ground where she starts that pitch. With practice, they will become easier and help maximize control over velocity and accuracy. Here are two simple drills we do every day to keep weight back, have a firm front leg, drive the back leg and stay on the line of force (all in one drill). Here are two simple drills we do every day to keep weight back, have a firm front leg, drive the back leg and stay on the line of force (all in one drill). If you cannot locate the problem, ask one of your assistant coaches to watch or take your pitcher to another coach. Start by pulling your shoulders down, spine straight, arms at sides and palms down. During batting practice, you will swing at hundreds of pitches, as opposed to the four that you swing at in a game. 33.5K subscribers Former Texas A&M softball player and two-time All American Amanda Scarborough talks about the 3/4 pitching drill. When doing a windmill drill, focus on body position: Use these tips for successful softball pitching drills! Effective 8U, 10U & 12U Fastpitch Softball Drills - Covey Sports Fastpitch Softball Pitching Drills - Balance - Softball Spot They loosen the shoulder and get the blood flowing. Maximize your performance with workouts, drills and advice from coaches and athletes from some of the top college wrestling programs in the nation in our wrestling training video library. The keys are the same for any position, Preparation (drills and muscle memory), Confidence (knowing that you can perform any athletic task required because of your hard work and muscle memory) and Relaxation (when your have confidence in your preparation you are relaxed and can focus on the game). Spread your feet to be shoulder width apart. Youll find the basketball workouts and drills youre looking for to take your game to the next level. Now the 5 series outside hitting drills: Feet Facing Forward - Upper Body Facing Plate: have your hitter use a batting T and a home plate, and start with her feet beside each other (spaced out) and facing forward while her chest faces the ball on the T. She works on hitting the ball off the T without moving her feet. Look for something in a wider area and follow the same discipline. If it is not treated promptly, it will lead to a long rehab time and possibly something more serious. Next, measure the distance from the wall to the point of what would be the regulation throwing distance for the pitchers level of play, then subtract two feet. As Doug worded it to me when I first worked with him, think about most really good pitchers youve seen. Register Log in 1 Nov 10, 2020 #11 S Stxdad Jun 24, 2019 162 28 So that's her style of finishing the pitch ? Im a keen athlete myself; I like to train regularly and spend time socialising outside of softball too. LONG TOSSThis drill can be done either with a catcher or against a backstop. Sue will share some great tips and softball pitching, hitting and much more! Of course he was right, and I knew that intuitively. If you want to become a better football player, regardless of your position, youll need to develop a high level of conditioning. #5. Check out Ueno. Warm-up with snap drills (3 ball drill) Do 25-50 snaps2. Pitchers perform their normal pitching motion, without any softballs. A: It is recommended to practice softball pitching drills at least three times a week. International Softball 2023 All rights Reserved. If your pitcher is having problems with control, this is one area I would take a long look at. This pain may also be caused by a muscle imbalance. Squash the Bug and Other Softball Batting Tips That Dont Work, Fastpitch Softball Pitching Tips for Beginners, Fun Basketball Drills That Improve Court Skills, The New Procedure Thats Revolutionizing ACL Surgery and Recovery, The Responsibilities of Parents in College Athletics Recruiting. I place a stripe right down the middle of the ball and use them in close rotational work to insure the proper rotation is being imparted to the ball. Swing arms from side to side. I got this game from ASU Head Softball Coach Linda Wells. The Correct Fastpitch Pitching Mechanics For Softball coaching youth softball and where you can get softball drills and softball tips. Whats a good drill to teach young pitchers to stay tall after a pitch/release, DD started to lean after pitch was released, she wasnt doing it now shes starting to . Arm circles are essential in any warm-up. You will definitely see itshow up from behind when you have 100% attention on her feet and the powerline. Of course he was right, and I knew that intuitively. Have her throw a pitch at 100 percent, then 60 percent, 100 percent, 80 percent, 80 percent, 60 percent, 60 percent, 100 percent, 60 percent, etc. I recently attended a clinic at Arizona State University that Linda Wells and her staff put on specifically for our team. It helps secure the idea in their memory and their accuracy improves immediately. Features . The motion of the hands going forward as the stride is being taken helps move the body forward and helps elongate the stride, but the important job here is the aiming. Running 20 to 30 minutes three times a week will help to build a strong mind and body. Be careful not to get under the ball that will cause it to rise. Dont use I couldnt find a catcher as an excuse not to workout your pitching arm. You still have one more strike coming. Plank holds are a great drill for softball pitchers to boost core strength. For this drill, the pitcher should only throw to the top half of the zone. Second, pitchers push the ball out of their hand, which reduces the spin applied to the ball and potential movement of the ball. Begin every spin with a four-seam fastball grip. WEIGHT BACKWe do a lot of drill work, along with pitching. It is OK to take a strike; hitting the pitch just because it is a strike lowers your chances of getting a hit because the pitch was not what you were looking for. DO NOT OVEREXERT!! One tactic a winning pitcher will use is to throw off-speed pitches.
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